


Fall Small

by chaitea



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Big monsters, Flavor Text Narrator Chara, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader-Insert, Sans doesn't appear for the first few chapters, Shrinking, Shrunkentale, Size Difference, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-07-12 06:10:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7088395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaitea/pseuds/chaitea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Waking upon a bed of golden flowers, you find yourself scarcely the same height as the floral foliage. With scattered memories left, the only way out is to either rise up through sheer determination or to succumb to discouragement and dwindle down until you perish.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I haven’t found nearly enough fanfictions that add the fantasy element of size change to the already fancifully fun story that is Undertale. Which is a shame because I have a mighty need. So here is the addition I tried not to write at work one night. Next thing I knew, I suddenly had five chapters outlined and an end goal in sight. Caution: I’m prone to excessive alliteration at times. Ya’ll have been warned.
> 
> Recommended Listening:  
>   
> [Dolce - Once Upon A Time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8kHehW8AsQ)  
>   
> [Tryhardninja - I Am Flower](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBfSrbvQB-c)  
> 

Chapter 1 - Friendly Facade 

 

A name. There was a name at the forefront of your mind. You could practically picture each rounded letter that spelled it out. They were white. Bold, white writing on an empty black backdrop. You tried to read it but just as you identified what the shape of one letter meant you’d lose sight of it when moving on to the next. They also kept...wiggling. Vibrating erratically in place which made it even more difficult to focus and read it out. But you knew it was a name.

 

Partially roused but not fully alert, a pungent floral fragrance hung thickly in the air. So much so that you could practically taste it with each slow, shallow breath. Before you could decide whether or not it was pleasant or gag inducing, the weight of your body became the next worldly sensation your muddled mind decided to register. This was abruptly followed by an encompassing dull, throbbing pain. Everything ached. Everywhere. From a persistent pulsing behind your tightly shut eyes to the soreness of your feet. The temptation to slip back into the cold, unfeeling allure of unconsciousness seemed so much more preferable to whatever harsh reality likely awaited you. But as soon as you tried, the needs of your battered body cried out for the attention you craved to deny yourself.

 

Begrudgingly, you managed to blearily blink yourself awake. Far up above and framed in shadowy, rough rock formations you saw an opening. A distant light source in the darkness that shown down on you. Squinting, you could make out the pale blue of a bright afternoon sky. It managed to look more unreachable then ever before.

 

 _But before… before what,_ you questioned groggily. _What the..?_

 

You shift to sit up, but the ground beneath you wasn’t cooperating and swayed with your movement. Alarmed, you flailed out your arms, losing your balance before you even had a chance to find it. Desperate to grab hold of something, anything, you instead slipped off the precarious perch and into a short span of freefall before impacting with a much more solid ground.

 

You let out a pained groan while pushing yourself up, blinking erratically to clear your vision. The area around you is shrouded in darkness. A sudden panic shot up your spine, and it takes a moment to refocus, but even after that nothing made sense. You're surrounded by thick, green stalks. If they weren’t so smooth they would look like a stripped corn field. As your eyes follow the stalks you can see that there were leaves. Enormous, jurassic sized leaves sprouting up from many of their bases. Shifting your gaze upward, you noticed the light from the opening was now obstructed by… petals. Bright, yellow flower petals.

 

“Huh,” you breathed out whimsically. “I landed in a flower forest.” You gave pause before finishing in your head, _a GIANT flower forest._

 

You stepped back, nearly stumbling over a worn but sturdy looking backpack. By quick glance it appeared about your size at least so you curiously bent down to open the flap. There were two items inside; a long stick and some medical bandages that had definitely seen better days. Not dirty but far from sterile either. With a shrug you pulled it onto your shoulder before cautiously glancing from left to right. All you could see were glimpses of a shadowy rock wall behind the sea of stems. Though now that you thought of it, they felt much more like cage bars.

 

Pushing against the oversized foliage in your way, you stepped out into a wide open clearing. From there you could see the rest of the cavern. Aside from the overhead opening, there were no other sources of light. You squinted to take in the looming sight of such high walls and couldn’t help but feel uncomfortably exposed. In the center, grew a bed of flowers beneath the only light source. Large and very still, they sprouted defiantly from the hard, rocky gray ground. Staring at them reminded you that this is where you had awoken. Atop one of the enormous, larger than life-sized blossoms. A fleeting thought crossed your mind that the experience was rather reminiscent to the childhood fairy tale, Thumbelina. You were certainly the right size, having woken up atop one of the flowers just as that heroine had. Though as you tried to recall the rest of her story you found your mind stumbling over any details. This only seemed to get worse when you attempted to recall anything about your own past as well.

 

 _I’m... I’m not supposed to be here,_ you realized worriedly. _Definitely not here, and certainly not like this_ , you added while looking down at yourself in comparison to the giant flowers.

 

As though you didn’t feel small enough already, you were wearing an oversized, puffy blue sweatshirt.  At chest level were two bold, horizontal magenta stripes that were either sewn in or painted on. It was hard to tell despite picking at it determinedly with your finger tip. The sleeves hung low on your hands, but otherwise you questioned if it was even yours considering how poorly it fit. Below that, comfortably fitting jean shorts ended at knee level. On your feet a pair of flat-soled shoes so dark brown they might actually be black. They fit rather snugly enough with the worn, short cropped white socks. The fashion choices of your pre-amnesia self filled you with even more questions.

 

_Oh yeah, nothing about this feels right. But if I don’t belong here, then… then where? Where should I be? Where am I now? And more importantly who… who am I?_

 

It was like trying to recall a disjointed dream. Just as you thought you could explain one aspect, you found it to be fleeting and already gone before the proper words could even form. You might as well be trying to grasp at fog for all the good it did you. Which was especially peculiar given you could make such a coherent comparison while hardly being able to recall a single thing about yourself. Even something as fundamentally simple as your own damn name.

Since being introspective was only exacerbating your already aching head, you went back to investigating your surroundings. There really wasn’t much else to the ballroom sized cave. At least not until your eyes fell upon a shadowy tunnel. All you had to do was travel back through the central flower patch you had woken up on to get to it.

 

It was a good enough start as any. But only after relieving yourself under the canopy cover of the flowers while on your way towards it.

 

That experience taught you two more fun facts about yourself. Beneath your shorts, were noticeably well worn underpants. They were so faded you couldn’t tell if they had once been bright pink or deep red. The muted, soft fabric was at least clean, smelling more of detergent then body odor. The fit was also rather unisex to the point that you couldn’t place what style and cut they were originally meant to be. Meanwhile, under the sweatshirt was some sort of tight crop top of sorts. You really couldn't be sure since the seams looked like they were hurriedly patched and sewn over and over again. There were so many different colored threads overlapping erratically here and there. It had either been a faded black or dark grey color that had definitely seen better days. Days you were becoming increasingly frustrated about not remembering.

After a quick clothing readjustment you continued on towards the only reachable opening in the cavern wall. You stopped outside it to peer in but it was much too shadowy to see if it lead up back towards the surface or further down into the unknown. Though the ceiling dropped considerably it still appeared quite high up from where you stood. While walking, a distant, almost forgotten tune played in the back of your mind till the pathway ended at a tremendous, mausoleum like structure to your left.

 

Two tall, thick pillars framed an open, stygian doorway. The deeper etched spaces were a much darker gray in contrast to the lighter shades of the protruding portions. The columns stretched up and into an archway filled in with intricately carved stonework. At its center a faded symbol protruded that was too high up and worn away by time to see clearly. _Not that I’d be able to recognize it anyway,_ you realised moodily. Either way, it gave the structure an ancient feel. With nothing to block your path you stepped over the threshold and continued on and into the dark room.

 

Much like the last cavern, this one had a spotlight and plant growth at its center. Otherwise you couldn’t compare the two. You weren’t even sure if this one was smaller or larger than the last since the rest of the area was shrouded in complete darkness. Within the lit area a single large, yellow blossom stood tall before you.

 

 _Well… at least taller than me,_ you scrutinized while looking up at it.

 

From the petal lined white center, a friendly face looked right back and down at you.

 

“Howdy! I’m Flowey! Flowey the… The Flow-...” a cartoonish voice faltered with a pursed twist of a stamen composed mouth.

 

You’re own mouth hung agape in bewilderment.

 

“...Flower. Uh, er… Hmmm…” the flower breathed out and blinked. Slowly and deliberately. As though _you_ were the most perplexing thing in the room. Yes, you. Not the giant talking flower with a face. Not…

 

_It? Them...he? Sure sounds more masculine than feminine. Though, now that I really think about it, don’t most flowers have both girl and boy parts? And, Hey! How come I know that random factoid instead of anything even remotely substantial about myself?_

 

You were interrupted from your own line of questioning when Flowey made a noise that sounded alarmingly like someone clearing their throat. Though in his case it was maybe clearing his stem? Either way, he waited till he had your full attention before continuing.

 

“You sure are… small?” He managed to sound terribly uncertain and condescending at the same time.

 

Not that you could really blame Flowey. You weren’t quite sure of anything anymore. Especially not after encountering him. Even still, he hit a nerve enough to jar you out of your silence to speak up.

 

“Well, maybe it’s you that's unnaturally big. And… and talkative. You know, for a plant,” you finished lamely.

 

That got an overly amicable chuckle. “Yup, you’re definitely new to The Underground, alright.”

 

“The, the what?”

 

“The Underground! Golly, you must be so confused.”

 

“You’ve got me there,” you muttered while rolling up your sleeves. They were so baggy they fell right back down your arms once you dropped them back at your sides.

 

“Either way, it sounds like someone ought to teach _little old you_ how things work around here. Guess that’s me.”

 

“Uh, thanks,” you managed uncomfortably.

 

“Ready?”

 

“Ready? Ready for what? You haven’t even-””

 

“Here we go!”

 

The already dark room somehow managed to get even darker around you both. The colors rapidly faded to muted gray tones while a burst of adrenaline tickled across your knuckles. But upon looking down at yourself you saw there was one color remaining. Bright and steady, emitting from your chest was a red heart shape. You found that it moved with you when you shifted your stance, almost like a three-dimensional shirt design.

 

“See that heart?”

 

You nodded, neck craned down to gawk at the curiosity.

 

“That is your Soul. The very culmination of your being!”

 

“My… my soul...” you trailed off skeptically.

 

“Yup,” Flowey affirmed patiently. “Your Soul starts off weak, much like you are now.”

 

That got you to look back up. The yellow flower’s expression was openly courteous.

 

“What makes you think I’m weak?” Your challenge was issued smoothly and with more confidence than you felt. It wasn’t too hard. Sure Flowey was bigger than you but he was still a rooted plant. Polite enough, sure but that didn’t mean you’d just accept a flippant insult.

 

“Well, look at you!” The flower motioned with a floppy green leaf much like someone would gesture with their hand. “I have met quite a few humans in my time and none of them, and I mean _none_ of them, have been as small as you are right now.”

 

You felt your stomach drop. You had been hoping that everything here was just big in general. That all you had to do was find a way out and back right back where you belong around things your own size. The distant memory of an old show _… or was it a movie?_ came to mind where everything became larger and more prehistoric as the characters traveled deeper into the planet. Something along the lines of Lost Age or Land of the Ice. Though that didn’t sound quite right you knew the concept was there and popularly used in media. Either way, now that Flowey just affirmed that no, everything's not just big and you’re the tiny one here, you became much more interested in his advice.

 

“What do I have to do?”

 

“Give it some LV. The more of that you get, the stronger your Soul will grow. Neat, huh? And hey, you might actually grow too! Golly, wouldn’t that be swell?”

 

“Uh, yeah… That sounds promising,” you commented, perking up considerably. “What’s LV?”

 

Flowey chuckled. It was a pitchy, bubbly sound. “Why, LOVE, of course!”

 

You balked skeptically at that. “Love?”

 

“LOVE!” Flowey rolled his eyes. It was very reminiscent of the way googly eyes would look on an animatronic puppet. Forced and unnatural. “Down here, LOVE is a power. Something you are gonna need a lot more of! Something I have a lot of…”

 

You nodded dubiously.

 

“So what do yah say? You want some LOVE, don’t you?”

 

“If you're sure it’ll help.” Tentatively, you reached up to poked at the red heart but at the last moment thought better of it.

 

“I’m MORE then happy to share some with you,” Flowey exclaimed with a playful wink while sticking out his tongue. “Think of your soul as a flower, like me. It needs water to grow. In your case, my ‘friendliness pellets’ should do.” As he spoke, white flickering  shapes sprang up from behind the flower’s petals. Twirling, they flittered outward to form a semicircle.

 

“Ready?”

 

“As I’ll ever be,” you affirmed. It certainly sounded easy enough.

 

Still spinning, the ‘friendliness pellets’ steadily began floating towards you.

 

“Move all around and catch what you can! I want to share this LOVE with you.”

 

Since they were all coming directly at you anyway, you didn’t opt to move very much. At least not until the first one made contact.

 

There was a piercingly sharp, rumble through your being. You hadn't even realised you had fallen to your knees till you were already bent over, clutching your chest where the red heart continued to shine. Only now it was so much dimmer and the pain that accompanied that change was excruciating.

 

Looking up, you found the once friendly face twisted into a disquieting expression.

 

“You idiot.” The petals around his face swayed tauntingly.

 

You struggled to stand but the best you could manage was a kneeling position.

 

Flowey’s darkly ostentatious shift left you reeling in confusion, pain, but most of all betrayal. Not that he was giving you much time to dwell on it.

 

“In this world, it’s kill or BE killed. Why would ANYONE pass up an opportunity like this?!”

 

Your eyes flicked past the flower but the rest of the room was too dark to see much else. Like an escape route. An escape route would be really nice right about now.

 

Instead, a ring of the UNfriendly pellets sprang forth from behind the flower to ensnare you.

 

“ **Die.** ”

 

With that command, the circle of death began steadily tightening around you. All the while, Flowey’s maniacal cackle rang in your ears. Sharp, white teeth gnashed tauntingly with violent intent.

 

Overwrought with discouragement, you hunched in on yourself, hugging your knees. So much so that you could have sworn you were actually starting to shrink.

 

Until out of nowhere a sudden, calming warmth enveloped you. You sucked in a raspy breath as the pain inducing pellets dissipated just as quickly as they had appeared. With the weight of your injuries lightened, you saw your glowing red Soul restored. Looking up your eyes met a confused Flowey’s. His startled expression had him back to appearing cartoony instead of demonic. At least until a brilliant, white flame shot out from the darkness. It struck the wicked weed, uprooting him from where he had loomed over you.

 

Everything was still so dark until a large, so very much larger than Flowey was, figure stepped out from the shadows. Up, up, further up still you looked heavenward until you saw…

 

“What a terrible creature, torturing such a… uhmmm exceptionally small… Oh dear, I could have sworn there was someone else here.”

 

“A... Goat lady?”

 

“Ah, there you are! Do not be afraid, my child. I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The art was done by a dear friend of mine that doodled it up while I was pitching this story idea to him. I then harassed him to line-art it so I can share it along with the finished first chapter. It fills me with inspiration to keep writing.
> 
> [Friendly Facade-lineart](http://www.deviantart.com/art/Friendly-Facade-lineart-613337825)


	2. Ruin Shoo-in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: This has been half written for a while now. Special thanks to my inspiring muses that got me to stop writing parts of later chapter and actually get this one finished.  
> Flowey was a a bit of a nightmare to write. Which I guess is rather fitting considering his characterization... and Boss Battle theme music :p  
> I’m keeping relatively close to in-game dialogue so far but as the story continues I do plan to veer more off in my own direction. What with this reader character speaking up so much. Probably too much for their own good.  
> Welp, either way now that we got passed Flowey’s debacle of a game mechanic explanation, onward to Tori’s Tutorial!
> 
> Recommended Listening:  
>   
> [Groundbreaking - Bound To Fall](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jr2NDoy64o)  
>   
> [NateWantsToBattle - Promise Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15Pf4-3xYSs)  
> 

The towering being, Toriel, she had called herself, took a knee that brought her alarmingly closer to your level. Even after doing so, you still had to crane your neck further back than what was comfortable to properly see her face. Large, dark eyes exuding warmth and kindness shone down sweetly at you. It was an expression that left you more wary than comforted, considering your most recent experience with a falsely friendly face.

 

Stepping back a few paces, you cautiously took in the rest of her immense form. She wore a long, dress-like tunic. _Or is it supposed to be a tunic-like dress?_ Stitched upon it was a bold, white symbol composed of a central orb flanked by two wings. Beneath those shapes were three small triangles with the middle one inverted. The image was encircled with a white, lopsided circle. You had seen something like it earlier. High up on the archway you had passed under before encountering Flowey.

 

Billowy white sleeves hung down from her shoulders to stop at what you now saw to be clawed, paw-like hands. It made the fluffy, white fur covering her exposed body look that much more dangerously soft to the touch. Your gaze traveled back up when you realized she had started speaking again. Her low, melodically soothing tones were coaxing as though she were speaking with an animal instead of a person. Though in her case, maybe that backwards situation in this backwards sort of place was ironically appropriate.

 

“You are the first human to come down here in a long time. Also… the smallest,” she finished with a twist of her snout.

 

“Yeah, I uh… I’m not sure about… well, about anything, really.”

 

She nodded in understanding but offered no further comment or explanation. You considered bombarding her with at least a dozen of the hundreds of questions you’ve managed to accumulate thus far. _There were other humans? How many? Who were they? Where are they? If they were regular sized then what about their memories? Did they have any or were they just as amnesia-ridden as I am? And ruins of what? Where the hell even are-_

 

“Come!” Her command wasn’t sharp, but it definitely garnered your complete attention as she rose to stand. “I will guide you through the catacombs.” When she finished speaking, the color seemed to bleed back into the cavern around you, casting her in the central light that Flowey had previously occupied. The dulled gray and black contrasts of Toriel’s appearance were now painted over in purple hues. The white of the emblem on her dressy tunic was separated by a dark, indigo purple while the rest of the garment was a much lighter violet shade.

 

Your soul was also gone from view. Probably back inside your body where it should have just stayed in the first place.

 

“This way,” Toriel instructed just before abruptly turning away.

 

She swiftly disappeared beneath yet another stone archway. It looked almost identical to the one you passed through earlier. The only difference being that this one seemed much larger than the first.

 

You gave pause before joining her. On one hand, you only just met this _person…? Goat? Lady?_ And here she was, encouraging you to follow her like a little lost lamb. It was a comparison that felt far too uncomfortably fitting to be real. But here you were, and there she went.

 

Though if you thought about it, how much of a choice did you really have? You already knew there was nothing left for you, only a flower patch and a tauntingly unreachable opening high above it. There was still that rotten flower, Flowey, to consider. That horrible plant was outright ready to murder you back there. He could be lurking about right now; waiting for another opportunity to. You shivered, resolve strengthening. _Kill or be killed, my ass._

 

Casting a weary backwards glance, your resolve strengthened as you made your way after the only other sentient being that showed you any kindness. _Well, at least genuine kindness. So far..._

 

The next room was much better lit, but by what you couldn’t be sure. Purple would seem to remain a theme here as the brick walls and hard floors were all shades of lavenders and lilacs. Two descending stairways that came down from a high up balcony towered above you. Upon it a dark, open doorway stood in the center with vibrant green vines lining it invitingly. On the ground between both staircases, a cluster of dead leaves were piled. Without the rustling of wind, they remained silently still, dead and rotting.

As you stepped closer, Toriel began traveling up the staircase to the right. She stopped midway up, looking back at you encouragingly.

 

You stood before both paths while the shadow of the ruins looms so very high above. It made the tremendous staircases look like an even more uncomfortably daunting challenge. Despite the steps being relatively thin and short, the thought of climbing them at your current size filled you with discouragement. Toriel must have sensed your distress since before you knew it she was walking back down them to once again kneel at your side.

 

You eyed her curiously. She somehow managed to appear even larger and more intimidating than when she had come this close earlier. _Did she get bigger? Why does she look bigger?!_

 

“If you need assistance up the stairs, consider this an...” she trailed off, placing a large, furry white pawed-hand beside you, palm up. “ _Open_ invitation,” she finished.

 

You balked incredulously. _Is… is she trying to be funny?_ You were having a hard time getting a read on her. Sure those dark eyes were brimming with sincere helpfulness. But there was also too much emphasis on how she phrased the question for it not to be a joke. And a bad one at that.

 

Experimentally, you decided to indirectly call her out on it. “So,” you began, unable to mask a sly smirk. “You offering me a _hand_ out?”

 

Toriel’s soft smile grew into an openly fanged, yet somehow still friendly, grin. “Why yes, young one. If you think you can… _handle_ it.”

 

You couldn’t help but guffaw. She somehow managed to simultaneously look smug and encouraging.

 

Unable to help yourself, there was some extra sass in your tone as you challenged, “only if you don’t think I’m going to be too much of a _hand_ ful for you.”

 

Now it was her turn to laugh. Toriel’s chuckle was deep and resounding while at the same time reverberant and ringing, similar to a particularly large church bell sounding.

 

For the first time since waking up you felt some semblance of being at ease. Even if it did come in the form of a few lame puns and a kiddie-pool sized, clawed hand. Either way, the assistance was greatly appreciated.

 

Trying not to think too much about what you were doing, you stepped up and onto her enormous palm. The fur bent beneath your feet like long blades of grass as you held out your arms to keep balanced. Noticing this, she curled her thumb closer for you to take hold of. As you accepted the extra assistance, the feeling of Toriel’s fleecy softness felt nice beneath you hands. So much so that you actually had to stop yourself from outright petting her.

 

And then she stood. You were nearly brought to your knees as the air rushed one way while your stomach flip flopped the other. Thankfully the disorienting vertigo passed before you felt too nauseated. You then let out a breath you hadn’t even realised you’d been holding as you rediscovered your bearings. Held aloft from the new perspective, you surveyed the room before turning to meet Toriel’s gaze. This close, you could see that her eyes weren’t just dark but a deep, molten maroon.

 

“Ready, my child?”

 

You didn’t think to correct her, numbly nodding in response.

 

She managed to hold you especially steadily as she ascended the staircase several steps at a time. While each long stride felt purposefully careful, you gripped her thumb tighter as the still air rushed past your face. Sooner than expected you were upon the raised platform. You twisted to get one last look backwards but the sight was blocked by your guide’s large frame as she whisked you into the next area.

 

Shifting on your feet, you faced forward to find yourself in another purple bricked room. A faded lavender path led up to a closed door with what was becoming a very familiar symbol above it. On the left side of it was a sign you couldn’t read from this far away. To the right were some light gray stone ovals. They protruded from the ground like buttons just begging to be pressed. Or in your case, jumped on.

 

“Welcome to your new home, innocent one.”

 

That had your attention. “Innocent? New home?! Excuse me, lady, but I-”

 

“Allow me to educate you in the operation of the ruins,” she interrupted. Her manner was alarmingly similar to that of a teacher mid lecture. A grade school teacher, no less.

 

Now, you might not know much about yourself, but at the very least knew you were an adult. Sure you might not look like much of one. At least, what was left of you. But it was about time she started treating you as such, right? _Right?! But then..._

 

How much of a fight was this actually worth to you right now? Especially considering your first encounter with a denizen of the underground. Toriel had thus far been nothing short of helpful. _Height pun definitely not intended,_ you thought grumpily. You recalled how Flowey was also nice enough at first too, until he turned on a dime. Though you were getting a strong impression Toriel was nothing like him. But even still, you were currently being held within her clutches. _Soft, warm, but still huge and clawed clutches._

 

Her fingers began curling inward, startling you from your thoughts. All around you, the sharp tips carefully curved downward as Toriel stepped on the first stone. It flattened easily beneath her weight, staying down even when she left it. You were barely jarred by the smooth, graceful movement. She repeated this with several other stones, leaving the rest raised in an easily to follow pattern. With her free hand she then activated a yellow switch you hadn't noticed earlier, causing the door to open.

 

“The Ruins are full of puzzles,” she explained. “Ancient fusions between diversions and door keys. One must solve them to move from room to room. Please adjust yourself to the sight of them.”

 

As she carried you through the doorway you once again tried to read that sign but were borne too quickly past it.

 

Together you continued on through a longer, open corridor that had the same motif as the last few rooms. The only additions being short bridges over draining water ways. Despite the steadily flowing streams the air in here had a stale, musty quality to it. With a slow, purposeful breath you rolled back your shoulders to shake out the stiffness from standing like this. While the option to sit was tempting, it felt outlandish enough being carried around like this already. To actually plop down in Toriel’s palm would be allowing yourself to get too cozy too fast with this whole situation. Especially the anthropomorphic goat lady.

 

An anthropomorphic goat lady that was back to lecturing again. While the gesture was nice enough you couldn’t help but feel she was wasting her breath. It wasn’t as though you’d be able to reach anything, let alone activate the switches to get around anyway. You rocked on the balls of your feet, only half listening as she sweetly droned on and over some retracting spikes.

 

Aside from the shape, this next room wasn’t very different from the last few with it’s purple brick coloring and smooth, hard floors. To the left around a triple-indented wall stood an already open doorway. Just like several before it, each side was lined with descending green vines. Between you and that door stood some sort of bulbous beige statute on a stand. As Toriel carried you closer you could see that it looked to be made out of patchwork cloth. Stuffing stuck out haphazardly from several of the unevenly sewn together seems.

 

“As a human living in the Underground, monsters may attack you.”

 

“Really? Hadn’t noticed that yet,” you deadpanned extra dryly.

 

Toriel’s floppy left ear twitched but she otherwise maintained a straight face. “Then it is all the more imperative that I assist in properly preparing you for when this situation happens again. Because down here, it most certainly will.”

 

You huffed audibly at that.

 

Interpreting your frustration as a sign of distress, she curved a fluffy white finger towards you. You managed to hold still as she brushed the side of it along your arm. Even with the layer of your shirt in the way you found the gesture more comforting than you’d have liked to admit.

 

“Worry not, my child,” she cooed sweetly. “The process is simple. When you encounter a monster, you will enter a fight. While you are in a fight, strike up a friendly conversation.”

 

“I actually tried that already,” you couldn’t help but point out. “With a talking Flower. There were _friendliness_ pellets and everything.”

 

She sighed out her exacerbation at your attitude. The windy breath fluttered your clothes and came with the unexpected smell of black tea and low burning embers. “Stall for time. I will come to resolve the conflict.”

 

You opened your mouth, another sassy retort ready to go when-

 

“Just as I did earlier,” Toriel pointed out while still maintaining that cheerfully helpful disposition.

 

She had you there. “Yeah, about that… I don’t think I’ve ever actually thanked you. You know, for saving my life back there.”

 

“You are more than welcome. I am sorry you were ever in a place of danger to begin with.” She bent down, lowering both you and herself till the back of her hand rested on the stone floor. “There we are. Now you can practice talking to the dummy.”

 

Turning your back to her, you eagerly stepped down. It felt good to be back on solid ground. Even if it was noticeably chillier down here. Absently rubbing your arm, you shifted to face the makeshift mannequin. It stood on a stout, wooden stand with a wide base.

 

While stepping towards it the colors in the room become muted, white washing your vision into blacks and grays. Startled you staggered back and looked to Toriel. She was still bent close to you, purple and white comfortingly intact.

 

She looked just as patient and kind as ever as she asked, “my child, why do you hesitate?”

 

“Th-the colors,” you managed, very much rattled from the way the room had twisted and changed around you. The last time that happened, you had been violently attacked. “They… they faded again. When I got close.”

 

“Yes, that happens when a fight has been initiated. In this case, you challenging the dummy.”

 

You quirk an eyebrow skeptically.

 

Toriel tilted her large head, floppy ears swaying with the action. “Now, fleeing can indeed be a useful strategy. Especially when facing more dangerous opponents. But it is unnecessary at this time since the dummy you face won’t attack you. It is only made of cotton and cannot even seek revenge should you in any way attempt to harm it.”

 

“Oh, right...” you breathed out, embarrassment heating up your cheeks.

 

“Go on,” Toriel encouraged with several flicks of her wrist. “Try speaking with it.”

 

This time you were more prepared when the color drained away, casting you and the cloth construct in washed out tones. This made the flash of bright red upon your chest that much more apparent as your soul shown through.

 

_You encountered the Dummy._

 

That stray thought was as fleeting as it was redundant. Shrugging away the peculiarity, you found yourself tempted to lash out at the cotton construct. Mostly just to see how Toriel would react. That’s what they were made for, after all. Practice fighting. _Not like I could even reach the thing_ , you concluded since the stand alone was longer than you were tall. Though you remembered you still had that stick in your backpack. If you threw it hard enough, you'd definitely be able to hit it.

 

_Dummy looks like it’s about to fall over._

 

You chuckled softly. Though with that amusement came a healthy flash of trepidation.  Guardedly, you to shifted your stance. If that thing decided to fall over, you were going to hightail it outta here rather than risk getting crushed.

 

“Uh...Hi,” you shouted up to it lamely. “Nice day and all… or night. Really can’t tell down here, heh...”

 

“.....”

 

“So,” you made another attempt. “You come here often?”

 

“.....”

 

_Dummy stands around absentmindedly._

 

Your lip quirked at the fitting thought. Though technically it was not as though it had a mind to be absent in the first place. Either way, you decided another attempt couldn't hurt. Especially since you were already feeling silly. “So, uh… if you’re not doing anything later, how about I come back to your place? I mean, sure you already look pretty _worn-_ out. But I could still show you the _ruinous_ sort of fun we can have in these Ruins.” You punctuated that with an exaggerated wink.

 

“.....”

 

_It doesn’t seem much for conversation._

 

You scoffed internally. _Of course it doesn’t. Thinking it would makes me just as much, if not even more, of a dummy than it is._

 

Looking over and up towards Toriel you found her beaming down at you proudly.

 

“Ah, very good! You are very good,” she affirmed jovially.

 

You bristled. Compliments were nice and all, but this was getting downright degrading. Before you could come up with a polite way to say so, she was already straightening to make her way through the open doorway.

 

Not having many other options, and definitely more than done with the dummy’s company, you followed after. The next room was much of the same you’ve come to expect here in the ruins. Monotonous shades of purple and stone work with green growth here and there along the walls.

 

Toriel stood before you with a contemplative twist to her short, snouted mouth. “There is another puzzle in this room... I wonder if you can solve it?”

 

You cracked your small knuckles at the challenge, exaggerating the gesture since it wasn’t as though she’d be able to hear your tiny bones pop from her altitude. Her fanged smile seemed to grow at your antics.

 

Satisfied with that reaction, you gave the room a more thorough scrutinization. The walls did have thicker, more clustered together vines clinging to their surface. There were even some blossoms peeking out among the leaves. On the floor, a lighter lavender shaded path seemed to take unnecessarily windy turns but otherwise there really wasn’t anything noteworthy. To your right, the room narrowed into an inviting corridor. Not seeing any other option you hesitantly began walking towards it.

 

Toriel’s gaze followed your lead before she did, long strides carrying her to the opening up ahead. Though she had noticeably shortened her steps, the goat woman still managed to gain quite a lead. You hustled to catch up as she disappeared around a corner. Not paying enough attention to the rest of the hallway, you ran after till an abrupt feeling of dread had you halting in your tracks.

 

Staggering backwards, the world flickered and drained of purple to be replaced by that disorienting black backdrop.

 

As the red glow of your heart shaped soul appeared your own heart fell. Another fight was underway. This time the towering white creature standing before you was a frog. A frog the size of a goddamn truck.

 

_Froggit attacks you!_

 

_The hell’s a Froggit?!_ Reflexively you reach for your backpack, fingers skirting along the zipper while you considered your options. You could fight; it wouldn’t be much of one since all you had to defend yourself with was a stick that was probably more akin to a twig. But the option was there and your hands spiked with the adrenaline to use it.

 

_Or… or I could try talking to it. Like Toriel wanted with the Dummy…_

 

But that was just some dummy. This is a monster! A humongous, aggressive looking one, at that. So yeah, sure you could try to act threatening. But considering you were the size of a bug he might eat, that really wasn’t a viable option to pull off. So that left trying friendliness. As dauntingly futile as that felt looking up into those blank, beady eyes.

 

_Welp, A compliment couldn’t hurt,_ you consider uneasily.

 

The Froggit’s back legs were bent at each side while the smaller front arms opened and closed menacingly.

 

“H-hey there,” you manage to stammer out. “You uh... you look very mighty. Yup, I can’t help but feel very, very, very, very impressed by you... S-sir.” You winced at how inane you sounded.

 

For a moment nothing happened. Then the massive amphibian head cocked to the side quizzically.

 

_Froggit didn't understand what you said._

 

As you realized that, you noticed a bright, pink blush bloom along white, amphibian cheeks.

 

_But was flattered anyway._

 

“Oooh,” you breathed out. Apparently, even through the jitters, the Froggit could make out your body language enough to tell you were saying something nice. _Huh, guess flattery really can get me everywhere._

 

Just as you considered the likelihood of skittering past, an enormous shadow fell over the both of you.

 

You nearly jumped out of your skin till you realized it was just Toriel. She had come to the rescue yet again. Though in this case you had actually managed to diffuse the situation on your own. The tremendous goat women's furry features were scrunched in a furious snarl while dark eyes flashed threateningly with the promise of pain. She managed to look even more intimidating than the time she launched a fireball at a homicidal plant.

 

Even thought that heavy gaze fell over instead of on you, you couldn’t help but step back. The poor Froggit quivered beneath her challenging gaze, pink flush drained into a ghostly paleness. You actually felt rather sorry for it as he slinked off and back down the corridor you had come from.

 

Turning away, you blinked as the world once again filled with purple stone walls and hard, lavander flooring. Toriel had already continued on nonchalantly, as though nothing happened. You weren't sure if you felt appreciative of the unneeded rescue or thoroughly insulted at once again being babied.

 

Biting back a comment she wouldn’t have heard anyway, you ignored another too high up to read gray sign and followed till a new room opened up. You breathed in the stale scent of a stone encased waterway; damp and dusty. A short, wooden dock broke up the purple monotony but after that the path was barred by rows upon row of shiny chrome spikes. They stretched up almost as high as you were tall, easily barring your way. Looking around you saw plenty more green vines but not a single yellow switch. Not that it would have been much help anyway considering you hadn’t found one you could reach anyway.

 

“This is the puzzle, but...” Toriel trailed off, looking from the spikes to you with a far up frown.

 

“But what?”

 

“Well, even if you solve the riddle of the last two rooms I’m not sure if your weight is enough to safely walk across the correct path.”

 

Now it was your turn to frown while looking down at yourself. “Oh.”

 

And there it was. Yet another reminder of not only just how wrong this entire situation was but how very wrong you felt in it. This body, at this size, wasn’t right. Nothing about any of this was right and all you could do was tacitly meander along a path that was not only literally but figuratively too big for you to properly follow. Each new obstacle seeming more impossible than the last. You felt your breath hitch in frustration.

 

“Here,” Toriel offered, distracting you from your self deprecation. “Climb back on my hand for a moment.”

 

This time when she lowered herself to you level you didn’t hesitate to step onto her platform-like palm. She had been nothing but kind and helpful, even if at times her demeanor bordered on condescended sweet. Though the trust you felt still didn’t stop you from closing your eyes tight to the disorienting feeling of an elevator moving far too quickly. You even sworn you felt your ears pop this time as she lifted you up.

 

The warm breeze of her breath had you opening your eyes to find yourself held just before Toriel’s face. Her fanged smile still managed to be more friendly than frightening as she took one steady step and then another. She continued to carry you over the spikes. Curious as to how she managed this, you peeked over the edge. It took you a moment to get over the initial disorientation of looking down from this high up. But as that anxiousness left you stared in wonder at how with each step the sharp chrome spikes retracted under her bare feet.

 

You briefly wondered if it would always do that for her or if the soles of her feet were so well padded that she just naturally crushed them down into the floor. Before you knew it, you were already across the waterway and upon a different dock on the other side.

 

“Puzzles seem a little too dangerous for now… especially at your size,” Toriel explained while setting you back down but still well within her largely encompassing shadow.

 

You bit the inside of your cheeks, inwardly bristling. It was bad enough you were so impossibly small. You didn’t need the constant reminders from her, too. Your mood wasn’t improved any when you looked around for a distraction only to find that new room was about as redundantly bland as the last few. More of the same high stone walls, long crooked lavender pathways and clinging green vines.

 

“You have done excellently thus far, my child,” Toriel praised sweetly.

 

You abruptly turned, havig about had it with her. With everything! It was bad enough she literally talked down to you. That wasn’t her fault. But figuratively? _Oh, no. I’m speaking up and she was going to damn well listen-_

 

“However...” Toriel trailed off, fluffy white brows furrowed contemplatively. The intent look on her face had your protest paused to hear her out. “I have a different request to ask of you.”

 

“Oh, What sort of request? I mean, it’s not like you’ve let me do much of anything so far,” you pipe up acridly despite yourself.

 

Toriel shifted, seeming surprised by your harsh tone. Or that you even spoke up at all. “W-what do you mean, my child?”

 

“That! That right there,” you finally snapped, arms flailed upward in exasperation. “My _child_? CHILD?! I’m an adult, damnit it!”

 

Toriel actually took a step back, her shadow pulling away from you with her.

 

“I’m a goddamn adult and it’s about time you respected at least that about me.”

 

“My apologies. I have sought only to assist you. I never meant any disrespect.”

 

“I know, and you have. Assisted me, that is. A lot. And I really am thankful for that. It’s just... ” you felt yourself deflate a bit and took a slow, deep breath before. “I get it, I’m small. I’m way smaller than I should be. And it really sucks. Sucks in a confusing and unfair sort of way.”

 

“Hmmm,” she hummed thoughtfully. “I had been wondering about that.”

 

You laughed. It was a short, humorless sound. “You and me both, lady.”

 

Toriel knelt down, a clawed hand coming up with one sharp finger extended. She placed the flat of it against your arm in a gesture you knew she meant to be comforting. “It has been a long time since I have spoken with an adult human. I will try to look past your stature and address you more accordingly.”

 

“Thanks. I really do appreciate that.”

 

“You are very welcome,” she said with a smile. A large, sharp toothy smile.

 

You gulped anxiously, needing a break from the still tense moment. “Well, now that we got that out of the way, what is it you wanted me to do?”

 

“Oh, right, yes. Yes, I would like you to walk to the end of the room by yourself. Please,” she added placatingly while pulling away to stand.

 

“That’s… that’s it? Just walking? Alone?” You wondered why something that sounded so simple was asked so dauntingly.

 

Toriel nodded sharply. “Forgive me for this.”

 

And with that, she was off. Long strides briskly taking her far down the longer hallway.

 

You gaped after, alarmed and confused by the abrupt departure. Before you knew it her retreating purple and white form was well out of sight and you were standing alone in the longest corridor yet.

 

There was a tension about the sudden situation that hung heavily in the stale air. You weren’t sure what exactly was expected of you here. _Does she really just want me to follow after?_ Up until now she had always waited for, or actually carried you. Either way, you couldn't go back. Those fierce looking spikes blocked your way.

 

Squaring your shoulders, you stalked off after Toriel. Head down and resolve firm, you ignored the monotony of the sparse, stone decor and continued on. The trek took you some time but just as you were debating taking a break you noticed the end was in sight. With renewed vigor, you jogged towards it, spotting a towering white column to your left. Ignoring it, you continued on until a large, familiar shadow darkened your path.

 

“Greetings, my chi- I-I mean, my new _friend_ ,” Toriel correct, while standing politely poised before you. “Do not worry, I did not leave you. I was merely behind this pillar the whole time.”

 

You were relieved that she had caught herself this time and felt as though you were finally making some progress. “I wasn’t worried, Toriel. I trust you.”

 

There was something almost regal about the way held herself, looking positively pleased with your response. “Thank you for that trust. However, there was an important reason for this exercise.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yes. To test your independence.” She turned away, eyeing the open doorway to your right consideringly before looking back at you. “I must attend to some business, and you must stay alone for a while. Please remain here. It’s dangerous to explore by yourself.”

 

“Uh, sure. Ok,” you agreed. The request sounded easy enough, and your feet were still sore from that long trek down the ridiculously lengthy hallway.

 

Toriel made no move to leave just yet, instead continuing to stare down at you intently.

 

You just stared back, not sure what to say next when-

 

“I have an idea. I will give you a cell phone.”

 

A distant memory flashed in your mind. Land lines and cellphones were a thing. Something you remembered. Excitedly you looked up in time to see that Toriel held a clunky looking gray block of metal in her hand before depositing it down beside you.

 

The electronic looked familiar enough. The shape was elongated and bulky with a clear receiver and speaker on opposite ends. But it was also unhelpfully huge. The buttons were practically the size of dinner plates to you.

 

Toriel took one step and then another to the right. “If you have a need for anything, just call.”

 

You looked from her to the phone and back again.

 

“Be good, alright?”

  
And with that, she was gone again. Leaving you alone in the musty underground with nothing but a small backpack, a phone bigger than you were tall, and still more questions than answers.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader has a backbone. It’s a small, easily breakable backbone. But it’s still there.

**Author's Note:**

> I made a separate tumblr for all my trashy needs:
> 
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/undertea16


End file.
